The International Association of Limnogeology (IAL) is a scientific association, founded in 1996 to keep active global links among scientists who study from very diverse approaches ancient to recent lacustrine records. The main goal of IAL is to bring together researchers interested in lacustrine systems including modern, functional lakes and Precambrian to Quaternary lake records, which may be analyzed through outcropping stratigraphic successions and/or sediment cores from lake basin infill.

The IAL aims at promoting multidisciplinary insight into lacustrine systems through space and time to improve the comprehension of the evolution of physical, chemical, hydrological, sedimentary and biological frameworks of the wide variety of lakes. Very changing, evolving tectonic, morphological and climatic conditions result in the generation of many unique lacustrine systems. This wide variety results in very diverse depositional arrangements and records and constitutes a major challenge to obtain general models of how lacustrine systems work in order to improve our capacity for exploration of economic resources. Additional interest results from the possibility of unraveling the effects of tectonic and climatic changes on the continental surfaces as well as the influence of human activity on environmental changes, including water pollution.

With these targets in mind the IAL promotes, either from their International Committee or from National and Regional groups, research on lacustrine deposits and lakes all over the world, especially encouraging collaboration among scientists across all disciplines of lake research, from biological and environmental limnology to paleolimnology, lacustrine paleobiology, geochemistry, stratigraphy, sedimentology and basin research, geochronology, paleoclimatology, structural geology, paleomagnetism and other related disciplines. This multidisciplinary approach is conceived to benefit research and provide holistic approach into the comprehension of lacustrine systems and records.

The IAL also encourages lake research through the sponsorship of congresses, symposia, meetings, and field trips. As part of its activity, the IAL started in 1995 the organization of quadrennial Congresses (Cague-Denmark-1995, Brest-France-1999, Tucson-USA-2003), which had a great success for their high quality and number of attendees (ranging 250-350) from more than 34 countries. The 4th International Limnogeology Congress in Barcelona (Spain) will be the continuation of this integrative effort.